In the Red and Brown Water

by Tarell Alvin McCraney

In the sweltering heat of Louisiana, Oya dreams of competing alongside star athletes. She never feels so right as when she's burning up the track. As a girl, she must choose between her dream and caring for her mother. As a woman, she's torn between the man she lives with and the man she can't live without. "In the Red and Brown Water", the second part of Tarell Alvin McCraney's "Brother/Sister" trilogy, received its UK premiere at the Young Vic theatre, London, in October 2008.

Genres: Plays, Theatre, Read For School, School, Drama, Fiction

100 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2012

Reviews

[Meek · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is my favorite play I read this year.

This is a really heavy story. I loved it because it felt so real. Main character, Oya, had so many internal struggles that were portrayed so well.

Also, I like that there were no set changes or stage directions. It made the play feel like one long conversation.

UPDATE: This playwright also wrote the story for the movie Moonlight!?! Amazing!

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

See Brother/Sister plays review; better than I remembered; tragic story of wanting to hold onto motherhood when there's little else left. Other plays in trilogy are stronger but this is beautiful.

[Octavia]

1/3. Tarrell im sorry i didn’t prepare for class in advance this is pretty great

[Riley Schatz · Rating 3 out of 5]

LOVED THIS PLAY. I loved the way the dialogue was written.

[Sean]

A swift, funny, sometimes dreamlike tragedy that hovers between contemporary psychological realism and mythical allegory. Terrific dialogue and a challenging ending with a lot of production potential.

[jane bro · Rating 5 out of 5]

This play broke down so many barriers in my mind about language and structure. I LOVE McCraney and from Moonlight to this, I want to ingest everything else he has ever written.

“My outside seem like it’s fragile but in here / a big man that will wrap you in love, Oya.”

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

An oddand interesting lyrical play that mirrors ancient tradition with the chorus and response. 3.5 stars.

[Nya · Rating 4 out of 5]

it’s hard to rate plays when u haven’t seen them on stage !!!!!!!

[Gareth Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the spoken stage directions, they give a very minimal feeling to the show.
The build to the end made the surprise ending believable.
The bookends of the show worked beautifully to explain the picture described in the prologue.

[Cammy]

I don't think I understood most of this, honestly

[Anjum Choudhury · Rating 1 out of 5]

Okay, I didn't like this one, but I acknowledge that it is a valuable piece. Also, unfortunately, I only read it, I didn't see it. So the particular style of this piece--the characters reading their stage directions out loud--didn't come across very well on the page. I've seen clips of this show, and they're infinitely better; the actors were very talented.

That being said, I enjoyed none of this.

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

This play and its two companions "Marcus; or The Secret of Sweet" and "The Brothers Size" comprise McCraney's noted trilogy, "The Brother/Sister Plays." They are first-rate theater by someone who experienced first-hand the resistance and opposition that society habitually offers talented Afro-Americans. Inspired work, enjoyable reading.

[Sebaldian · Rating 4 out of 5]

'... a sad sweet hum, thick like the early morning mist ...'

[Analisa Moreno · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing play,

[Not Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Play.

[Jordan Neff · Rating 4 out of 5]

**4.5